


Keep Control

by Tea_is_Not_Them



Series: Avatar Jon (AKA: Other Entities snag the Archivist) [7]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: ;), Canon-Typical Worms (The Magnus Archives), Elias Bouchard Dies, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Hinted Jonmartin, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist Wears a Skirt, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist With a Cane, Season One Archives Gang, Spider Imagery, Web Avatar Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25265173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tea_is_Not_Them/pseuds/Tea_is_Not_Them
Summary: Jon was a strange boss. He talked as little as possible and was a bit snippy. You would think he cared less.
Series: Avatar Jon (AKA: Other Entities snag the Archivist) [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818751
Comments: 47
Kudos: 342





	Keep Control

**Author's Note:**

> Thats number seven Whores!! I hate the Web btw :) But I can appreciate it is GUESS
> 
> My Socials As You Know :D
> 
> Insta: tea_is_not_them  
> Tumblr: tea-is-not-them  
> Tiktok: teaisnotthem

Jon was a weird boss. He always picked up spiders to move them out of the archives, showing those spiders more kindness than he showed his assistants. He didn’t like being alone with people, and he preferred not to be around them at all. He spoke very little as well, Sasha and Tim had a bet on whether he was mute before he started reading statements. Tim was saying he was because he literally did not speak while working in research.

He had a lovely voice they found. Which he only used to read statements. The short two sentence words or indirect demands were always quick, as if he was afraid of talking to anyone. How lonely. 

Jon had grey in his hair, it almost looked like cobwebs in the dim light of the archives. He was always fidgeting with his hands. Jon was a bit of an ass when he did talk, so the three found it was a bit preferable to be ignored than the other option.

\--------

Jon tripped. Of course he did. He hit the wall with his head and groaned loudly. “Fuck!” he usually did not like to use those words, or any words not needed, but it is what it is. 

From where he hit the wall he noticed something, he had put a hole in it with his head. How the hell? Oh Worms. Worms started coming through the hole. That's right! Jane Prentiss was harassing Martin and it seems she finally made her move. It was terrible that his assistants had to deal with the supernatural now. He was not keen on them ever finding out he believed. Jon turned and left his office, slamming the door behind him, scaring Sasha out of her seat.

“Worms in my office, can we get to document storage now.” It was not calm like his usual demeanor, his eyes were a bit large. Sasha nodded, as if sensing his distress.

“Where is Martin?”

Sasha pointed to the breakroom, “He's in there!”

Jon looked and clenched his fists before darting off to the breakroom, he was surprisingly fast without his cane, even if his leg already protested. He opened the break room door to almost crash straight into Martin. 

“Document Storage now. There are worms.” He grabbed Martin’s hand to drag him along faster. He would have to apologize for that later, but right now he was trying to keep his assistants from getting eaten alive. As he practically threw Martin into the room with Sasha he closed it behind him with a quick movement. His hands were twitching as if he was waiting for something. 

“Is everyone ok? Where is tim?” Jon asked. It was the most they had gotten that wasn’t a short insult or strangely worded request.

“He was in Artifact Storage last I checked. And- and I’m ok. Sasha?” Martin turned to her. She looked relatively ok, no worms burrowing into her legs. So far so good at least.

Jon looked stressed, “Damn. Tim better not get eaten.” The worry in his voice was palpable. He was chewing his lip looking hard in thought.

“Wow, didn't you know you cared Jon?” Sasha joked slightly, and Jon winced.

“I care a lot more than you’d think.” He gave a mirthless chuckle before looking around. He found wherever Martin had hidden fire extinguishers. He picked one up, and winced at the weight of the thing. His leg hurt a bit. Jon felt a bit thankful that he chose slacks for the day, a skirt would have been harder to run in. 

Jon was looking around trying to think of a plan before the wall caved in. He screamed, just as Martin and Sasha did.

“Tim!” Sasha sounded so relieved. Martin smiled for small victories.

Jon smiled himself at seeing Tim alright. He was high as a kite from CO2 but that was better than dead, Jon could work with high.

“Are you hurt?”

“Nope! No bites boss.” He lifted his shirt as if to show off and Jon scrunched his nose. There was laughter.

“Alright no more of that please.” Tim let his shirt fall back.

“Ok so there are tunnels. I came back here and there were worms everywhere! Got hustled into the tunnels and here I am! Saving you all.” He was grinning like a dope and Sasha snorted.

Jon gestured for everyone to start going into the tunnels. It was dark, but Sasha was lighting the way with a flashlight. It was dusty down there. Jon was limping hard and he tried to steady his breathing, but thankfully no one noticed. So far so good. He was at the back of the group, sadly without the extinguisher. He had relinquished hold of it to Martin, who looked ready to jump out of his skin.

There was another voice, a rolling gargling thing, they all turned to see Jane Prentiss shambling closer. Worms were starting to crawl faster, jumping towards them. Jon felt them biting into his bad leg and pushed everyone behind him farther, taking a good lot of worm damage for himself. It was worth not seeing them hurt

“Jane Prentiss sit!” her shambling form came to a stop.

“No. No. NO!” She yelled, before she sat down. She looked like she wanted to scream but Jon was still getting eaten.

Jon grinned, licking his teeth slightly, “Call the worms back Jane.”

The noise she made was horrifying but the worms slowly started to come back to her, leaving Jon's flesh and piling up next to their now dormant master. The pain hit him like bricks, but the exhilarating feeling of being in control of Jane was enough to mask it. He was pulling the strings here, and he found that the fullness was delicious.

“Now be still and be quiet.” His voice was not loud, but there was a bit of vindication in it. Low and excited. He was in his element. She came into his archives and tried to hurt his assistants. He wouldn’t allow that, no matter how much of a monster they might think he is. And there was some selfish desire to control something so untouchable and terrifying. He was driving this car, and he was going to crash it with her inside.

“Would you all spray her please? I’d rather not test how much control I can hold.” It was a lie, but they didn’t seem to notice. He was a terrible liar but they were more preoccupied with grabbing the fire extinguishers and spraying the piles of worms and their disgusting host.

Jon watched, leaning against the wall. He let his head touch the dirty stone, seaking the coolness it gave. He was about to pass out, but he couldn’t do that. There was a scared part of him that was afraid that they would leave him here alone if he passed out.

Jane didn’t scream as she died, sitting patiently as her eyes showed their terrified frenzy as she was unable to do anything. She was not in the driver's seat of her own actions and she died scared of Jon. That was a heady feeling that he allowed himself to bask in until the moment she died, the emotions riding high. 

He rubbed his eyes when they turned the flashlight on him, their gasps alerting him more than the light. Jon blinked.

“You have spider eyes.” Tim pointed out. Sasha was shaking and Martin was white as a ghost, mostly from the worms.

Jon huffed, “Yes they’ll go back to normal later. Can we leave? I'm bleeding out.”

Tim was still high as a kite so he just nodded jovially. The four got back out, after finding that Ti had pulled the fire alarm in Artifact’s, so everyone was already out of the building when they all limped out covered in blood and CO2. Jon ended up passing out as soon as he sat down against a wall.

\--------

He was glad he already knew how to walk with a cane, because his leg was useless as it was before being wormed. He had physical therapy, which he would most likely ditch in favor of going to work once medical leave ended. He went to the first few, but found them a waste of time. He had work to do after all.

When he walked back to his archives, it was cleaner than it had been in years. They were quite thorough with their cleaning and extermination! He sighed at that, a bit relieved. He saw the spiders were still making a home in the corners or the ceiling and behind some books, their webs being started anew. He laughed a little, persistent things.

He was cornered by Sasha in his office. Tim and Martin were late but she would not wait for them for answers.

“What the hell was that?” Sasha demanded when he had sat down.

Jon blinked, and then fidgeted with his hands, “I-Don’t know what youre talking about.” His deflection was deplorable at best and she raised a brow.

“Can we not talk when Martin and Tim get here? Do they not deserve to hear it?” Jon gave in, getting up and grabbing his cane. The skirt swished and he gestured for her to follow him to the open space where everyone else's desk was. He pulled a break room chair over for himself and sat there and waited.

When they got there Sasha was messing with her phone, and Jon was nervously fidgeting. The interrogation would begin.

“Ok. I can explain what happened in the tunnels.”

“Start from the beginning.” sasha prompted.

Jon huffed, “Of course. I suppose Statement of Jonathan Sims, regarding the spiders. Might well make it count.” He took a breath.

“When I was eight I had a run-in with a Lietner. It was called a Guest for Mr. Spider, my grandmother needed to get terrible books to keep me occupied. I was a deeply annoying child.” This got a laugh from Tim and an elbow from Sasha to make him stop.

“I read this book, and I was about to knock on a door, before a bully took the book from me. Saving my life. He began to read and he knocked on the door, and long spider limbs grabbed him and pulled him in. I was close enough that the spider slashed open my leg. That’s why I need a cane. Slowly I started seeing spiders everywhere, and instead of being scared, I talked to them. I was lonely as a child. I started being able to control people by telling them what to do. Very bossy little me was excited, I thought it was amazing.

Then middle school rolled around and I had a crush on someone. They started hanging out with me more often, but I remembered the day I realized that they only started liking me because I somehow told them to. I made them never think of me again, not talk to me and forget that I was ever their friend or that they had a crush on me. I felt like a monster being able to do that.

So I started going quiet, not talking. Only using the power to control people so that they would not bully me. I made sure that no one cared about me, not enough to seek me out to bully me. I was left alone with my books and studies.

Then in Uni I met Georgie. She didn’t care that I wouldn’t talk, taking it as selective mutism, which I suppose it is. We went out and I was excited because I couldn’t have said anything to make her like me. I was silent and I felt like it was real. And it was when I look at it.

Then I got paranoid and scared that I could do that to her, so I blocked her off. I broke up with her and isolated myself again. I learned about the Magnus Institute and I got a job here because I could learn about what was happening to me. When I don’t use the powers I get sick and weak, so usually I use it to get people to pick up litter or to look at their phone. Doing that to Jane Prentiss was nice, because she didn’t hurt any of you.”

His hands twisted together. Jon looked terrified that they wouldn’t trust him. That this would turn them against him.

“You’ve never done that to us have you?” Martin asked tentatively.

“No! Never. I actually liked you all and wanted to make sure you never did have it happen to you. I’ve been very careful.” Jon didn’t want to look up and see their probably angry faces.

“But. I don't think I know how to have friends anymore.”

Martin hummed slightly, “Then that shows you care. I mean not even a tiny control on any of us. That says something about you Jon. We can teach you.”

He was taken aback enough to look up to see Tim looking apprehensive, Sasha looking thoughtful, and Martin looking earnest.

“Boss the idea of being controlled is disgusting, but I think we can all be friends and make it work if you’ve made it a year without doing anything like that to us.” Tim looked at him with a silent fire. Jon felt pinned like a bug.

“Uh. Really? What if-”

“No, Jon, don't try to start a what if spiral.” Sasha interrupted. She looked firm in her resolve about whatever she had on her mind. 

Martin nodded, “Yeah we can make it work.”

Tim looked serious again, “But.”

Jon waited for the other shoe to drop, his hopes had been much too high. 

“You have to apologize for being a dick. And go out for drinks friday.” Tim looked expectant. Jon could have cried in relief.

“I think I can make that work.” Jon laughed a little, he wiped his eyes slightly.

\----------------

Jon started keeping his office door open. He ate lunch with his assistants. Slowly he came more out of his shell, enough to info dump about emulsifiers to Martin for thirty minutes. He had felt bad about that, but Martin had told him it was perfectly fine. It was sweet to have friends. Still the fear of being in control was at the edge of his mind, but it was waved off by anyone who noticed.

Tim had been scared at first. He had been careful, because he knew what the supernatural could do. The idea of not being in control of himself was stressful, but Jon cared. He tried really hard, thinking through almost everything he said.

Jon was not careful about his own needs though. He seemed not to care a lick about himself, throwing himself into worms for them even when they thought he didn’t care about him. Martin started to bully him into going home at a better time.

Sasha had been cautious as well, she had seen him in action. They all had. He used his powers to get people to tell their stories clearly, getting the perfect picture, before sending them home to get something to eat and get some rest. They also didn’t kill spiders down there, because Jon was a bit attached to them. Martin thought this was sweet.

\-----------

“Get out of my office Bouchard!” Jon snarled. Elias had a fucking huge audacity! He was trying to manipulate Jon into something for the fifth time this week. He had subliminal threatened Martin and Tim and Sasha. He was hinting at the hypnotic table that was in artifact storage being dangerous and how easy it would be for one of the assistants to fall victim to it.

Elias fought with his control and Jon pushed his will harder, slamming his hands on the desk. The bastard needed to leave. He was one of the Supernatural things that Jon has been trying to protect his assistants from.

Elias had a strong will though, he choked out, “Oh… Interesting Jon.” before Jon clenched his fists.

“Get out.” he said one last time, before Elias’s eyes glazed over and he walked like a marching soldier. Jon stalked behind him, his face set in anger.

“Threaten my assistants again Elias and I will ruin you.” He snarled to the man. Elias didn’t look at him. Standing stiff, Jon realized he still had control. 

“If you so much as think about them, I will feed your life story to the spiders and then let you rot. You come down here to manipulate me again and I will show you how it feels to be out of control. Get out of my archives.” His mind was not processing the three assistants staring at him or the figure of Elias Bouchard. Elias walked up the stairs and back to his office before the strings connecting his will to Jon were snapped. 

Jon took a few breaths, trying to calm down. He thought he could manipulate Jon, but he was sorely mistaken. He had walked straight into a spider web and he was going to be eaten alive if he dared do it again. 

“Jon what was that?” Martin was moving him, and he made an effort to limp along with him to the breakroom.

Jon let his face stay on the table before he had the courage to face the probably horrified assistants, “He was trying to manipulate me. He was threatening to hurt you three.”

He could see the strings, the spider eyes not yet fading. There were no strings on his assistants and he liked it that way. It was always a breath of relief to see that he had not tied them to himself with his words.

He put a hand on his face and felt something. He blinked a few times, and noticed the black chelicerae. He gasped, but they soon left his face, and he noticed the world was back to normal. He was human looking again.

“You did that to protect us?” Sasha asked finally.

“Yes. Also, no one goes into Artifact Storage alone.” He sighed, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. 

Martin piped up, “I’ll make tea. Let's have a break and Jon can explain what happened when we are all calmer.” 

Sasha sighed thankfully, “Yes thats a plan.”

“Fuck Elias Support Group?” Tim joked, trying desperately to hide how worried he was. 

Jon snickered and Sasha elbowed Tim. Martin tried to hide his laugh from where the kettle was now heating up.

\-----------

“So we don’t trust Elias.” Martin surmised.

Tim snorted, “I never trusted double boss. He's a bastard.”

Jon nodded, “Truly.”

They all sat and then realized it was five already. 

“Drinks?” Sasha offered, “Or do we want to go have a movie night.”

Jon hummed, “Movie night sounds nice.”

\------------

Elias came down to his archives again. Jon was not going to have it. No one was there, all on lunch break, and Elias had just wandered into his web, like a foolish little fly. Jon wondered when he started thinking in spider metaphors but set that thought to the side. He had business to deal with.

“Elias.”

“Archivist. I seemed to have not looked close enough. You’re the Spider’s.” There was a sneer in his voice.

Jon was so curious for knowledge, but it did not matter when this monster was so clearly trying to goad him into asking. He did not need that knowledge more than he needed to be in control. He tittered for a second, before clicking his tongue. His eyes changed and Jon opened his mouth to attach the strings of words to Elias’s will. Oh the fear he could practically smell it.

“Elias.” His eyes widened, “Tear out your eyes.”

\----------

“Spider boss!” Tim called. He was grinning and holding a can of raid. It was a bit of a prank that he had found to be Hilarious. Sasha rolled her eyes and Martin looked a bit worried.

Jon came out, “How many times have I told you not to say that- WHAT THE HELL.” Jon was already running from Tim, who was holding the can of raid like a weapon. 

“Why Are you trying to spray me with bug spray?!” Jon was surprisingly fast for his leg being bad. He was running just ahead of Tim who was snickering and laughing breathlessly.

“Martin please! Tim could you sto-” He yelped and dashed around a bookshelf as he almost felt the spray, “Hey! Help! Martin!”

“Why're you calling for Martin boss? The spray won't hurt you!” Tim was having a heck of a time.

“Sasha won’t help because she enjoys the chaos. Martin is the only one who hasn't betrayed me!” He ran back and then hid behind Martin, who was just walking out of the break room with a stack of documents. Jon clicked his tongue and Tim slowed and was doubled over laughing. Jon glared at the bottle and Sasha was cackling at her desk.

“This is attempted murder.” Jon said, still hiding behind Martin. The bug spray wouldn;t actually hurt him, but he didn't want to find out if that has changed at all. Martin huffed a laugh.

“You ok Jon?”

“Yes. Thank you Martin.” Jon straightened up and tapped his cane. “You will be the only one left, I’m going to fire Tim and Sasha for harassment.”

This made the laughing double and Jon couldn’t stop the slight smile that played his lips. 

“You wont fire him because he makes amazing tea!” Tim pointed out.

Jon sniffed, “Yes. He is also nicer company.” He kept a straight face for a few seconds before everyone was laughing again. Martin looked a bit red and Jon tried not to feel too accomplished.


End file.
